GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hamas has had a fluctuating relationship with Gaza’s large and influential families since taking power. While Hamas benefited from these families to win the parliamentary elections of 2006, it considered them — upon taking control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 — a security threat. Shortly after assuming power, it began to undermine their powers to its favor. Recently, however, it has started to reinforce some of their roles, mainly concerning solving internal societal problems.
The Hamas-led government in Gaza relies on prominent families to solve societal issues and disputes between families, removed from the judicial and governmental institutions.
